Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
George and Lennie are traveling ranch hands, and the best of friends. They are opposites, with George being
physically small and quick witted, while Lennie is tall and strong, although somewhat mentally handicapped. They
depend on each other, and dream of owning their own piece of land one day. The two friends find work at a ranch,
and find a small plot of land for sale. They know it would not take many more weeks to earn enough money to purchase
the land and make their dream come true. But just as their dream seems within reach, a tragic event occurs, and
alters their dreams forever.
Reviewed/Read: 8th Grade
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a whimsical journey through life as seen through the eyes of a young boy, Tom Sawyer.
Tom lives in rural Missouri, in the sleepy town of St. Petersburg, in the mid-19th century. He and his friends,
including Huckleberry Finn and Becky Thatcher (whom he is "engaged" to) find adventure and fun everywhere
-- even in whitewashing a fence! Tom and his friends also run away from home to a nearby island to be pirates,
and return home in the middle of their own funerals! They witness a murder and face danger at many places, but
Tom remains the same light-hearted, adventure-loving boy as ever. Adventures of Tom Sawyer is truly a book to be
cherished by readers young and old!
Reviewed/Read: 8th Grade
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
O Pioneers! is the tale of a Swedish family, the Bergsons, who have immigrated to America and settled on the
harsh Nebraska plains, hoping for prosperity though farming the land around them. But after the demise of the father,
who left daughter Alexandra in charge of the farm, the Bergsons struggle to work the unforgiving land. Under Alexandra's
careful eye, the farm becomes prosperous, but there are still many obstacles for her to overcome. Her two younger
brothers, Lou and Oscar, jealous and embarrassed of having a woman run the family farm, become one of Alexandra's
biggest problems. Her other brother, Emil, is the only brother who understands her and can see what she has accomplished
for the family. But what can Alexandra do when tragedy strikes Emil?
Reviewed/Read: 9th Grade
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